About this opportunity
'Commonwealth Scholarship' is often used as a single term, but the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC) in the UK actually runs several distinct schemes under that name -- the general Master's/PhD route, the nominated Commonwealth Master's Scholarship, and the jointly-funded Commonwealth Shared Scholarship -- each with its own eligibility rules and application route. Roughly 800 awards are made across these schemes each year.
A meaningful share of CSC schemes require nomination by an approved body in your home country before the CSC ever reviews your file, and that nominating body's own deadline is very often earlier than any CSC-wide date circulating online.
The Commonwealth Scholarship is a fully funded scholarship offered by Commonwealth Scholarship Commission for applicants heading to United Kingdom.
Who should apply?
This may be a fit if the following points describe you. Always use the official criteria as the final check.
- Citizens or permanent residents of an eligible Commonwealth country
- Applicants meeting the academic requirements of their chosen scheme
- In many schemes, applicants who go through a country-specific nominating body
What the opportunity may offer
- Approved tuition fees at the host UK university
- Return airfare where specified by the scheme
- A living allowance sized to support UK study
- Additional research or thesis grants depending on scheme and level
Required documents
- Academic transcripts
- References
- A development-impact statement connecting your study to a tangible outcome at home
- Nomination documentation where your scheme requires it
Application process
- Identify which specific CSC scheme matches your intended level of study and country
- Check whether your country requires nomination and find that body's internal deadline
- Prepare transcripts, references, and a development-impact statement
- Submit through the correct channel: directly for direct-application schemes, or via your nominating body
- Track both your nominating body's and the CSC's timelines if both apply
Before you apply
- □Check the deadline in your own time zone
- □Confirm that you meet every eligibility condition set by Commonwealth Scholarship Commission
- □Prepare your 4 required documents in the format asked for
- □Ask referees early and share the official instructions
- □Review the official source once more before submitting
Deadline notes
Varies by scheme and, where nomination is required, by your country's nominating body -- that internal deadline is very often earlier than the CSC's own published date.
Frequently asked questions
Do all Commonwealth Scholarship applicants need a nominating body?
Are Commonwealth Scholarships fully funded?
How many Commonwealth Scholarships are awarded each year?
Where should I apply if I don't know which scheme fits me?
Programme details can change. Check the original listing before you prepare or submit an application.
Last reviewed: 2026-07-20UShireZone is not affiliated with Commonwealth Scholarship Commission. We never charge applicants to apply. Always verify details and submit through the official website.